Mexican Street Corn Salad
Mexican street corn salad is the perfect summer side dish! With the creamy mayonnaise, crunchy sweet corn, spicy chili powder, and tart lime juice, this corn salad is an explosion of tastes and textures. It's a quick and easy grilled side that brightens up picnics and adds some zest to both indoor and outdoor summer get-togethers.
What is Mexican street corn?
Mexican street corn is a Mexican side dish that is often sold by street vendors in Mexico. Vendors grill the corn, and then it's slathered in mayo, lime juice, cilantro, chipotle chili powder, and cotija cheese. Keep in mind, we're not an authority on Mexican cuisine since we aren't Mexican, but you can learn more about this dish from Isabel over at Isabel Eats.
What is this corn salad made of?
This is a super simple fresh corn salad recipe that consists mainly of corn and spices. You probably have most of the ingredients at home already, but there are a few that you may have to make a quick run to the store to pick up. To make corn salad, you'll need:
- Fresh corn on the cob-This recipe calls for corn cooked on the grill. If you're making it in the winter-or you don't have access to a grill-you can steam or boil your corn. Cooking your corn before adding it to the salad makes it a little more tender, but it stays nice and crisp. I like using the grill because it adds another layer of flavor to the corn that screams summer!
- Avocado oil-You can substitute this with melted butter or olive oil.
- Mayo-The creamy base that holds this salad together.
- Hot sauce-Use any variety you want-I use Cholula.
- Lime juice-You can use freshly squeezed limes or bottled lime juice.
- Smoked paprika-This spice enhances the smoky grilled flavor.
- Chili powder-Chili powder adds some mild, savory spice.
- Cojita cheese-This is a tangy, salty Mexican cheese made from cow's milk. If you're having difficulty finding cojita, you can substitute in feta cheese. It has a similar salty flavor, although cojita cheese is more tangy and may even have hints of a pineapple flavor, depending on the season it was made in.
- Salt and pepper-Salt enhances all the other flavors in this dish.
- Red bell pepper-Raw veggies add some fresh flavor and crunch.
- Red onion-Use red onions instead of yellow or white. Red onions are more mild and better suited to being eaten raw.
- Cilantro-Cilantro adds a distinctive flavor to this corn salad.
Protip: Using frozen or canned corn
If you use frozen corn, thaw it first, then sauté it in some butter on the stove. I'd recommend sautéeing canned corn in butter on the stove as well. Frozen or canned corn won't have the same fresh crunch as corn on the cob, but they'll work in a pinch.
How do I make a corn salad?
One of the best things about this Mexican street corn salad is how easy it is to prepare. There are really only a few steps between you and a delicious summer side dish.
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- Grill the corn on a grill preheated to medium-high heat after covering the cobs in avocado oil. The cobs will take fifteen minutes to cook, and they need to be rotated after ten minutes of cooking.
- Mix the spices, lime juice, mayo, and hot sauce.
- Cut the corn off the cob after it's cooled for a while and mix the kernels in with the bowl of sauce.
- Add the peppers, onions, cheese, and cilantro to the salad and toss to coat.
You can eat this summer salad right after mixing, or you can put it in the fridge to cool for an hour or two prior to serving.
FAQ
📖 Recipe
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 6 fresh corn cobs husked
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ¼ cup mayo
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce I used Cholula
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cotija cheese
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, around 450°F. Brush your corn evenly with the avocado oil, then grill for 15 minutes, rotating after the first 10 minutes. Remove from your grill and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, combine the mayo, hot sauce, lime juice, smoked paprika, chili powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Cut the cooled corn kernels off the grilled corn cobs, and place in the bowl. Stir to combine, then toss in the remaining ingredients. Serve!
Notes
- This recipe keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. For super fresh tasting corn salad days later, combine the dressing ingredients (mayo, hot sauce, lime juice, paprika, chili powder, and salt) separately and wait until the day of to toss with the remaining ingredients.
- The avocado oil can be substituted with melted butter if preferred.
- You can use canned corn or frozen corn in place of fresh corn. Use 2 cans of drained, rinsed corn or roughly 3 cups of frozen corn that has been thawed.
This was so so good for a summer potluck! Thanks!
So glad it went over well!